Spending Archives - Page 11 of 29

Jonathan Mackie – candidate for NH State House, Belknap 2 (Gilford/Meredith)

September 26, 2018August 5, 2018 Op-Ed

I am Jonathan Mackie, a Republican seeking to represent Meredith and Gilford in Belknap District 2. I am a lifelong resident of New Hampshire and have lived in Meredith since 1984. My wife Sue and I own and operate Clearwater Campground and Meredith Woods Four Season Camping Area in Meredith.

Although I have not previously served in public office, other experiences have given me a perspective that will serve our citizens well. Working as treasurer of my local church for 10 years showed me the value of dedicated volunteers serving to make a community better. We need to protect the religious freedoms that make this possible. My 20 plus years of running a business and also serving as president of the New Hampshire Campground owners Association for 3 years has given me first-hand insight into the many regulations, fees, taxes, permits and licenses that unnecessarily complicate investing in and operating a business in New Hampshire.

I am running because…

An Open Letter to Members of the Franklin, NH School Board

September 26, 2018July 31, 2018 Op-Ed

By Karen Testerman

Once again the taxpayers of Franklin are confronted with a request for an increase in funds. Oddly with a declining population of students, there is still a need for an increase in cost.

What concerns me is that the discussion regarding budgets centers around teacher pay or the number of personnel required or facility needs. There is no discussion about job performance. The results demonstrate to the taxpayer the return on their invested tax dollar.

About that “Free Money” From Washington…

September 26, 2018July 31, 2018 Steve MacDonald

You’ve heard it time and again. Some state or local official promotes a project or a legisaltive initiative because there’s a federal grant available. These sorts of “thinkers” will often implement long-term programs at great expense based on promises of “free money.” The Federal government is paying X percent of costs for Y number of years.

How can we pass that up?

NH House Freedom Caucus Blasts “drunken sailor spending”

September 26, 2018May 23, 2018 Op-Ed

Press Release

NH House Freedom Caucus
For Immediate Release
May 22, 2018

Contact: Rep. JR Hoell, 603-315-9002

CONCORD – The New Hampshire House Freedom Caucus (NHHFC) today blasted the massive, $120 million state spending spree in new spending outside of a state budget year in bills coming before the House tomorrow. In particular, the NHHFC focused on the $102.3 million omnibus spending bill (HB 1817), legislation that never saw a public hearing in the House for any of the appropriations included within it.

“The Legislature abandoned its fiscal responsibility by approving this off-budget spending, and the committee of conference made this terrible mistake even worse.

Read more

Omnibus in Spiritus Sanctum

July 15, 2024March 26, 2018 Steve MacDonald

(Restored) Mike Rogers joins me to discuss how Mr. Trump might be able to use the Omnibus as written to build his wall, and whether he can or will just give large sums he has no intention of spending back to the treasury – and whether Congress can do anything about that. This program has been reposted after … Read more

Major Loophole Allows NH Schools to Ignore Their Budget Committees

July 15, 2024February 9, 2018 Steve MacDonald

Skip Murphy joins me to discuss how a major loophole allows schools to ignore budget committee cuts to their spending.

Timberlane “Snipers” Take Aim at Jorge Mesa-Tejada

July 15, 2024January 17, 2016 Steve MacDonald

GrokTALK! Exclusive: When a budget committee opponent of a $4.5 Million dollar construction bond poked fun at the School Districts slick-infomercial–which is using fear to claim the construction is needed to protect students from a potential sniper attack–the District used his response to get a restraining order against him. This is the inside story from … Read more

Carly Fiorina

July 15, 2024November 8, 2015 Steve MacDonald

Republican candidate Carly Fiorina joins us to discuss cutting government jobs and the spending that goes with them.

Gov. Huckabee’s Tax Record

July 15, 2024May 26, 2015 Steve MacDonald

Doug Sachletben (SACK-lay-ben), the communications director for Club for Growth, joins us to discuss Governor Mike Huckabee’s real record on taxes and spending.

Gov. Huckabee’s Tax Record Part II

July 15, 2024May 26, 2015 Steve MacDonald

We continue with Doug Sachletben on Governor Mike Huckabee’s many taxes and taxing priorities as governor. We also discuss government spending increases and how that is not charity but effects charitable giving.

Democrat Myth that the 800 Million Dollar Deficit Never Existed – Revisited

June 2, 2023March 18, 2015 Steve MacDonald

I guess Nashua Democrat Cindy Rosenwald’s Great White Whale still haunts her. On Feb 6th, 2015, Cindy wrote a letter to the Rosenwald-friendly Nashua Telegraph outlining how there never was an $800 Million dollar deficit left by NH Democrats. Republicans made it up.

A New Hampshire Democrat Accounting Trick – Explained

September 26, 2018May 13, 2013 Steve MacDonald

In years past the New Hampshire Democrats have taken to all kinds of foolish ideas to hide the truth about their blinkered incompetence when it comes to managing other peoples money. Here is but one example to give you some perspective. Let’s say my wife and I ran our budget like New Hampshire Democrats and … Read more

From the Desk of Representative William O’Brien

September 26, 2018May 10, 2013 Steve MacDonald

From the Desk of Representative William O’Brien If you don’t think that State Government should grow at 5% a year while the economy is growing at 2% a year, resulting in a two-year 10.2% increase in state spending, $263 million in new taxes, $31 million in revenue overestimates, $7 million in cost downshifting to local … Read more

Deficit – What Deficit?

September 26, 2018May 8, 2013 Steve MacDonald

The party that is bringing civility ( see here, here, here, here, here, here (sigh) here, here, a big one right here,…) ran on the idea that the New Hampshire Republican House and Senate was leaving New Hampshire with a deficit, a presumption only “slightly” less dishonest than the notion that Democrats are civil, or half as dishonest as the idea that democrat Carol-Shea-Porter even knows the gun laws in her own state. Turns out, as usual, they were wrong.

“At this point, if spending levels come in as predicted, the state could end the budget cycle (the result of the budget passed two years ago) with a $43 million balance…”

Now to be fair, 63% of this projected Republican Surplus is from a lawsuit windfall, the rest is just taxes being caught up etc, but either way the Republicans leave the new budget writers without the need to pay for 800 million in fixed spending for which there was no revenue, with something extra for the rainy day fund.

So yeah, about that…

How Much More Does The State Deserve Your Money Than You?

September 26, 2018May 7, 2013 Steve MacDonald

Keep in mind that New Hampshire Democrats want to spend your money to achieve immediate government growth of about 9-10% Boston.com Dennis Delay of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies told the Senate Ways and Means Committee Tuesday that New Hampshire’s recovery from the Great Recession is lackluster. … Delay predicted the state’s … Read more

There is No Ball

September 26, 2018May 3, 2013 Steve MacDonald

Do New Hampshire Democrats have their priorities straight? Think about it. The economy is creeping along. No one is projecting even moderate growth. Employment is likely to remain flat which means unemployment is as well. All in all, the best we can hope for, according to all the ‘experts’ is to drift along for a while. So what are New Hampshire Democrats doing?

In one of the safest states in the nation, with some of the most–dare I say liberal–gun laws in the country, they are investing their energy on harassing a Republican Senator (Kelly Ayotte) who doesn’t even have to run for office until 2016, over a vote that wouldn’t even do much if any good to solve the problem they claim it is meant to resolve; while at the exact same time, asking New Hampshire taxpayers to let them grow the size and cost of government as much as 10%.

Economy sucks, maybe 2% growth if we’re lucky over the next few years–New Hampshire Democrats want to give the government a permanent 9-10% raise.

Talk about not keeping your eye on the ball.

Wait. This is supposed to be like the Matrix, right. There is no ball. Look- Ayotte!

Did Mayor Gatsas Kick The Can Down The Road?

September 26, 2018April 15, 2013 Steve MacDonald

rusty can On April 11th I swung for the fences in regard to remarks by Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas and his desire to get some benefits concessions from the Teachers union to free up money in the budget..for education. In the course of those remarks I pointed out how the Mayor had boasted about an agreement with the Manchester police and that he was just looking for something similar from the Teachers union.

A day or two after I published the post I received some intersting correspondence about that agreement with the Manchester Police; that while the union had made some very public benefits concessions there may have been other deals in the contract that could cost taxpayers even more down the road. The unions may have actually come out ahead.

Is Senator Shaheen Your Senator…or Just the Democrat Party Senator?

September 26, 2018April 8, 2013 Steve MacDonald

New Hampshire US Senator Jeanne Shaheen is not here to talk to any little people that are not her little people. When asked a question about more spending stimulus, as recommended by President Obama, that would be more debt spending at the expense of our children and their children, she couldn’t even be bothered to respond. I guess she’s … Read more

Newest Democrat House Member Bill O’Neil – Clueless in Concord

September 26, 2018April 4, 2013 Steve MacDonald

Fresh off his decisive 37 vote special election win in Manchester on March 19th, Democrat Bill O’Neil has already made a mark in Concord. He’s gone on the record to state, unequivocably, that there are no tax increases in the Democrats new House budget. (He’s only wrong by 263 million dollars.) Oh yeah. Doing Ward … Read more

Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers – Press Release on NH House Budget

September 26, 2018April 4, 2013 Steve MacDonald

House Republican Leaders Comment on Passage of Fiscally Irresponsible

CNHT – The Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers

Budget

By CNHT | April 4, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 3rd, 2013
Contact: 603-271-3665

House Republican Leaders Comment on Passage of Fiscally Irresponsible Budget

CONCORD – House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) and Ranking Republican on the House Finance Committee, Rep. Neal Kurk (R-Weare), offered the following comments in reaction to the passage of HB1 and HB2, the bills dealing with the State budget.

Rep. Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett), House Republican Leader

“When 40,000 people in our State are looking for work, this budget will squeeze an additional $39 million out of our small businesses that they would have otherwise been able to reinvest to grow and create jobs. When incomes are stagnant, this budget raises the gas tax, tobacco taxes and down shifts costs that will raise property taxes. When our roads and bridges need attention, this budget diverts and additional $27 million from the highway fund to other agencies. When our economy is struggling to grow at 2% per year, this budget grows government by more than 5% per year. It’s not a logical plan to grow our economy.”

Read more